A/N: Today I'm releasing Part 1 and Part 2, instead of two unrelated parts.
"You are Rob McMillan, aren't you?"
Again, it was in no way a question. He knew what he was saying was the truth, but still, he was having trouble swallowing it. Loki just stared at him for a long moment not saying anything. Thor had a feeling that he was deciding how to handle this situation. He had a feeling that Loki would have probably teleported away, if not for the fact that they were probably at his residence. That was probably why after another long moment Loki finally answered resigned. "It's Robert."
"No one calls me Rob but Tony and Barry," he said offhandedly and then winced like he hadn't meant to say that. Thor stared at his brother for a long moment trying to wrap his mind around what Loki had just admitted to, zeroing in on the last part of Loki's sentence.
"Who is Barry?"
Loki looked at him for a long moment and Thor was pretty sure his brother was trying to figure out how much to tell him.
"Loki, who is Barry!" Thor demanded, abruptly, making Loki blink.
"He's my Vice President," Loki answered after a moment.
Thor blinked, yes he had realized that he and Rob were the same person, but it still wasn't quite clicking in his mind.
"Your vice president?" Thor said faintly.
"Yes," Loki said.
"We've become quite close," Loki admitted and Thor felt shock and simultaneously jealousy, bubble up inside of him.
This Barry, whoever he was, was probably always able to be there with his brother, whereas, Thor only ever saw him anymore on Holidays. Thor felt a pang of jealousy, remembering when he and Loki used to spend all their time together.
At that moment, Thor almost wished that Loki had been doing crime all these years. Rather than finding out that he had been in New York and had spent so much time with this Barry, when it could have been them spending time together all these years. However, he quickly checked that feeling. He knew that deep down he was happy that Loki had not been harming people. Even if it meant that he had spent the last several years becoming closer to a Midgardian than himself. Still, it stung.
"How?" Thor asked, not exactly sure what to ask but needing answers.
"I went to college. I took online classes until I was a junior, then I went to an actual college. I got a degree in engineering under the name Robert and then started a company. Barry was my roommate when I was getting my undergraduate and he was training for a business minor. He taught me much about earth culture and business, and so when I graduated with my masters we went into business together. We started GO Technologies and here we are…" Loki trailed off.
"You went to college?" Thor said surprised.
"I had to learn their culture, create bonds with people and a backstory," Loki said. Despite his brother's explanation, Thor still didn't understand why his brother- who had tried to subjugate humanity - would do such a thing.
"Why?"
"In order to build my business," Loki said plainly.
Thor did not doubt that was true, but he was pretty sure that was not the only reason... not when there were other ways to do so that would have undoubtedly have been easier and quicker.
"You could have created a degree for yourself. Why would you actually go to Midgardian school?"
Loki hesitated and Thor felt a dread start to grow in his stomach.
"I had to create bonds," Loki said again, this time slowly and carefully.
"Why?" Thor asked again, still sure there was something that Loki was leaving out.
Loki didn't answer and the pit of dread grew that much more. He tried to scrape together everything he knew about Rob- about Loki's human identity. He owned his own company. He was even friends with Tony. Loki cared for Tony enough to save his life. He was good with technology. There was nothing there to give him any more information. There had to be something, maybe something about his company. GO Technologies.
He had never really focused on the tablets before since he always used Stark's things, but there had to be something there. There was that box that Tony had wondered about and still hadn't come to a firm conclusion to. In light of the new information, he could guess that it was probably technology either taken from or derived from Asgardian technology.
Loki had spent some time here and there tinkering with technology while residing in Asgard. He had even, for a while, worked on fixing space crafts before their father had found out. Thor had never actually heard his father tell his brother to stop, nor heard Loki complaining that his father told him to stop. But he had gotten the feeling from both of them that his father did not exactly approve of Loki's interest in machines. Afterward, he had only seen his brother working on mechanical things twice. Both times, the moment he had come into the room, Loki had hastily shoved the objects out of sight. That coupled with the fact that this had been hundreds of years ago, had made him forget about Loki's affinity for mechanics.
Thor shook his head slightly, as none of that helped him figure out what Loki wasn't telling him now. Perhaps nothing would, but he felt like he knew something, something important. GO Technologies was huge and made a large amount of money. He stubbornly refused to let the pride he wanted to feel for his brother's accomplishments come to fruition till he knew what it was that his brother wouldn't tell him, what his brother wished to hide from him. Everything he knew about GO Technologies he had heard from Tony including the fact that it….no.
"Grran Oak?" Thor accused as another piece clicked into place.
It hadn't immediately hit, but he had heard the name of Rob's company-Loki's company he supposed- a few times over the years. Thor had only figured out its meaning in light of the new context. Loki stared at him for a long moment before sighing and nodding, apparently knowing what the question really was.
"Ragnarok?!" Thor shouted furiously.
" Do you really intend to use your company to inflict harm on the Midgardians!"
"No," Loki said firmly. Almost as an afterthought, he added "Not anymore."
"Not anymore," Thor repeated softly, staring at his brother who started to look a little uncomfortable with Thor's gaze on him. Thor did not mind that at all.
Thor had half a mind to get S.H.I.E.L.D and tell them everything, but it was the 'not anymore' part that for the moment stayed his hand. Loki must have read his expression because he put his hand up and stepped towards Thor quickly.
"Listen to me Thor, hear me out, and try not to talk before I am finished. When I first came here to rule earth I tried the brute force method. Like most times I try to do things with brute force, it didn't work. So I came up with another method, one that was more me, and less well... open. I came to Midgard with the intent to destroy it, yes. It was supposed to be a slow destruction, so I could get my revenge on the people here, especially the Avengers. I came up with this idea and it just seemed perfect. I would establish a company of influence, show that I knew how to run it, and then I would run for president, win and use my influence to set into motion the destruction all of Midgard."
"But they wouldn't allow you to be president," Thor said with a shake of his head.
He had come to know that the United States had particular rules for that kind of thing over the years. Not to mention that no one would vote Loki- the person who had tried to rule earth- into office.
"Of course they wouldn't allow me Loki to be President, but me..." Loki suddenly changed before his eyes.
Before him, stood the familiar form of Rob Mcmillan, who he had only ever seen in photos supplied by Tony. He had never seen him before in real life. It was disconcerting, especially now that he knew that it was really his brother he was seeing.
"I was born in the United States. I have lived my whole life in the United States." Thor was startled by Loki's new accent.
Gone was Loki's cultured voice, which he was used to mocking him throughout his life. In its place, was a voice as American as Tony's. He had always known that Loki had a talent for mimicking other's voices and speech patterns, after all, he had mimicked him and many other people many times, but not in this form.
"You know how charming I can be when I feel like it," Loki added as he turned back into himself.
Yes, much of the time Loki didn't use his charm much, especially around him. But when he did, he was very good at getting what he wanted.
Thor for a moment felt sick at Loki's plan, its complexity, and how he would have never seen it coming until it was too late. Not even Tony had seen through Loki's charade. What was the scariest part of the plan, was that it could have worked if Loki had gone through with it. The thought did not sit well with him at all.
He focused on the fact that Loki had told him. Not without a little prodding but Loki had told him, he hadn't just lied about it. He had said that he didn't plan to use that plan anymore, but still, he needed reassurance. It wouldn't have been the first time that Loki had lied to get out of trouble.
"You promise? You promise on the memory of mother that you have changed your mind?" Thor demanded earnestly.
The sad look came into his brother's eyes again that always did when they talked about their mother, but he nodded.
"I promise. I even told my campaign manager a few years ago that I no longer wished to run for president."
Thor frowned as he suddenly had a feeling he knew when that had happened.
"Jul?" Thor asked because Loki had been acting very strangely then.
"Yes, Jul," Loki affirmed.
"What changed your mind?" Thor asked curiosity causing him to push his brother for more information. He needed to know how Loki had managed to save or help save Midgard twice, after appearing with the intent of destroying it. How with such a dark mindset had he ended up becoming friends with one of the Avengers, one of the people who had stopped him from getting what he had wanted in the first place.
"Barry... and you," Loki added after a moment.
"Barry was the first friend I had that was just mine. One that I didn't have to share with... anyone." Thor had a feeling that by anyone Loki actually meant him, but let it go unsaid.
"He was also kind, which at first I saw as a weakness, but I slowly I learned that it was actually a strength. He possessed a strength that drew people to him genuinely, more so than my charm and silver words ever could."
It was true. Loki's charm drew people in, but sooner or later people were able to sense his dishonesty and it always seemed to stop working after a while.
"He was just so genuine; I couldn't help but like him. For a businessman, he is very soft but he draws people to him. He made me a part of his family. I was at his wedding and I held his daughter - who is now 7," Loki said with a fond smile.
Thor was floored that Loki had been able to connect with a Midgardian in such a way, especially considering that he had compared them to ants and had killed several of them just for fun. However, he reminded himself that Loki had stopped the blob that would have killed him and many Midgardians. None of the Avengers had any idea of how to stop it, and without Loki's powers, it would have been hard for them to stop the blob, even if they had thought of it. Not to mention whatever Loki had told Tony on Valentine's Day. He would save that question for later. At the moment he was more curious about Loki's transformation from the angry person he had been, to the calm, collected leader of GO Technologies he saw before him today.
"Then there's you," Loki said slower and more carefully.
"You were always so earnest and...I don't really know how to describe it." Thor blinked as his brother was rarely at a loss for words.
"The only thing I know for sure is that we're closer now than we were before." It was a very broad statement, but probably the best way to describe their relationship at the moment. Their relationship was still a little tenuous. They both still had to be more careful about what they said to each other than they were before Loki's attack on Midgard. They were making improvements though, vast improvements.
"I also realized that I don't need to be a leader of a world," Loki continued quickly and more firmly. " I don't even need to be a leader of a country. I am perfectly satisfied simply with being the leader of my own company. It's all I want and it's all I need." Loki cleared his throat looking slightly embarrassed.
"And I realized that humans aren't as stupid and backward as I thought that they were. Yes, they age quickly and they are not as technologically advanced. But given a few hundred years, I think they will outstrip us. They have such determination to be something before their short lives end. There are even some quite exceptional humans that I like better than most Asgardians.
"Like Tony?" Thor said with the inkling of a smile.
Loki nodded in reply.
"And Barry?" Thor added.
He had never met the man, but he could tell from what Loki said that he had a deep fondness for the human.
Loki nodded again.
"I'm glad," Thor said; and he was.
Glad that Loki had gained friendships here. Friendships that had made him see humanity in a new way, that made him finally appreciate them in all their glory. Glad that Loki had gotten that kind of relationship, even if he was still a little jealous about it.
"You are?" Loki asked seeming surprised.
"Not about your initial plan," Thor clarified.
"But I am glad that you changed your mind. I am proud that you've come to see Midgardians in a new light. That you have found your place," Thor said, then wondered if he went too far because Loki's expression closed off again but Loki nodded.
A tinge of worry crossed his brother's face, one that Thor only recognized because he knew his brother so well.
"Are you going to tell anyone? Are you going to tell him?" Loki asked, the latter part with more than a twinge of worry.
Thor didn't have to ask who Loki meant by him. He was aware that Loki was talking about their father. Thor thought about it for a long moment before shaking his head.
"No, no I will not tell the All-father. You have already sworn to me your intent not to harm anyone, and I believe you. However, if at any time I even get a hint that you're going back on your word, I will tell him. Are we clear?"
Loki nodded.
"However," Thor smirked, " I do have three conditions for my silence." Loki looked apprehensive but nodded reluctantly, ready to hear his brother's price for keeping silent.
"My first condition is that you have to tell me what you told Tony," Thor said, it was really starting to bother him. Loki blinked, apparently not expecting the question.
"He said that he already knew, I want to know what you told him?" Loki smiled his shark grin at him.
"Really? Then why did it take him so long to do anything about it?"
"What did you tell him?" Thor asked. he was too curious to let it go anymore.
"I simply told him that the creatures were conductors and to stop them you need to...?"
"Take their stick?" Thor answered confused. Loki looked at Thor like he was an idiot and he had no idea how he could possibly still be alive.
"No Thor, electrical conductor, not music conductor." Thor nodded slightly embarrassed as he should have thought of that first. He understood now as he had a basic knowledge of electricity, he had to since he controlled lightning.
"So you have to insulate It," he said quickly as everything suddenly made sense.
"Yes," Loki said.
"And that's what he did," Thor said and Loki nodded.
"Thank you for saving him."
Loki nodded again.
"And the second?" Loki asked apprehensively again.
"I can call you Rob"
Loki opened his mouth to argue but was quickly cut off.
"Only when you're in that form and only when it's just the two of us," Thor clarified.
Loki did not look pleased about it but nodded after a long moment.
"And the third?" Loki finally asked with even more apprehension.
"We will have lunch twice a week."
"But Thor-"
"Really? Loki it's only twice a week," Thor said exasperated as he hadn't been expecting Loki to argue about that one.
Loki huffed.
"Thor, I spend more time at work than I do here. I work 14-20 hours working on a normal day, let alone any surprise emergencies. I run a company and spend a lot of time working on new technologies as well. I pretty much have two full-time jobs. Barry keeps telling me I have to either find someone else to run my company or someone else to build because no one can survive my hours without going insane, but I keep proving him wrong." Thor blinked from the rush of information and sighed. It should have surprised him, but it didn't.
"So you're still a work-alcoholic and a control freak," he said using the Midgardian terms for such things, but Loki had always been those things. When they were in school Loki would stay up for hours to read, write essays, study, or make sure that his papers were perfect. Loki didn't look fond of his word choices as he glared at him.
"No, I am dedicated and want to make sure things are done right," Loki countered.
"All the more reasons you need to come to lunch. Barry is right. You will burn out if you keep going this way," Thor said finding himself agreeing with a man that he had never even met.
Loki sighed but still looked irritated.
"Fine, but I get to pick the time and place and you have to wear an illusion," Thor nodded, he wasn't fond of wearing illusions, but if it meant that he would finally get to see his brother outside of holidays he would do it.
"Is that all?" Loki asked with a huff and he crossed his more slender arms in front of him.
"Yes," Thor said with finality.
"Will you show me your house?" Thor asked this time making it a request with what his brother had called his kicked-puppy face. Loki sighed but beckoned him to follow him with his hand.
"Alright."
"So which one is my room?" Thor joked, knowing that it would irritate his brother further, and could practically hear Loki's eye roll as he moved through the hallway after his brother.